CHAPTER IX
THE QUEST FLOWER (_Continued_)
The next morning was rainy, and Jewel and her grandfather visited thestable instead of taking their canter.
"And what will you do this dismal day?" asked the broker of hisdaughter-in-law as they stood alone for a minute after breakfast, Jewelhaving run upstairs to get Anna Belle for the drive to the station.
"This happy day," she answered, lifting to him the radiant face that he wasalways mentally contrasting with Madge. "The rain will give me a chance tolook at the many treasures you have here, books and pictures."
"H'm. You are musical, I know, for Jewel has the voice of a lark. Do youplay the piano?"
Julia looked wistfully at the Steinway grand. "Ah, if I only could!" shereturned.
Mr. Evringham cleared his throat. "Madam," he said, lowering his voice,"that child has a most amazing talent."
"Jewel's voice, do you mean?"
"She'll sing, I'm sure of it," he replied, "but I mean for music ingeneral. Eloise is an accomplished pianist. She has one piece that Jewelespecially enjoyed, the old Spring Song of Mendelssohn. Probably you knowit."
Julia shook her head. "I doubt it. I've heard very little good pianoplaying."
"Well, madam, that child has picked out the melody of that piece byherself," the broker lowered his voice to still deeper impressiveness. "Assoon as we return in the autumn, we will have her begin lessons."
Julia's eyes met his gratefully.
"A very remarkable talent. I am positive of it," he went on. "Jewel," forhere the child entered the room, "play the Spring Song for your mother,will you?"
"Now? Zeke is out there, grandpa."
"Dick can stretch his legs a bit faster this morning. Play it."
So Jewel set Anna Belle on a brocaded chair and going to the piano, playedthe melody of the Spring Song. She could perform only a few measures, butthere were no false notes in the little chromatic passages, and hergrandfather's eyes sought Julia's in grave triumph.
"A very marvelous gift," he managed to say to her again under his breath,as Jewel at last ran ahead of him out to the porte cochere.
Julia's eyes grew dreamy as she watched the brougham drive off. Howdifferent was to be the future of her little girl from anything she hadplanned in her rosiest moments of hopefulness.
The more she saw of Mr. Evringham's absorbed attachment to the child, themore grateful she was for the manner in which he had guarded Jewel'ssimplicity, the self-restraint with which he had abstained from loading herwith knickknacks or fine clothes. The child was not merely a pet with him.She was an individual, a character whose development he respected.
"God keep her good!" prayed the mother.
It was a charming place to continue the story, there in the large chintzchair by Mrs. Evringham's window. The raindrops pattered against the clearglass, the lawn grew greener, and the great trees beyond the gateway heldtheir leaves up to the bath.
"Anna Belle's pond will overflow, I think," said Jewel, looking out thewindow musingly.
"And how good for the ferns," remarked her mother.
"Yes, I'd like to be there, now," said the child.
"Oh, I think it's much cosier here. I love to hear the rain, too, don'tyou?"
"Yes, I do, and we'll have the story now, won't we, mother?"
At this moment there was a knock at the door and Zeke appeared with anarmful of birch wood.
"Mr. Evringham said it might be a little damp up here and I was to lay afire."
"Oh, yes, yes!" exclaimed Jewel. "Mother, wouldn't you like to have a firewhile we read?"
Mrs. Evringham assented and Zeke laid the sticks on the andirons and letJewel touch the lighted match to the little twigs.
"I have the loveliest book, Zeke," she said, when the flames leaped up. "Mymother made it for me, and you shall read it if you want to."
"Yes, if Zeke wants to," put in Mrs. Evringham, smiling, "but you'd betterfind out first if he does. This book was written for little girls withshort braids."
"Oh, Zeke and I like a great many of the same things," responded Jewelearnestly.
"That's so, little kid," replied the young coachman, "and as long as you'regoing to stay here, I'll read anything you say."
"You see," explained Jewel, when he had gone out and closed the doorsoftly, "Zeke said it made his nose tingle every time he thought of anybodyelse braiding Star's tail, so he's just as glad as anything that we're notgoing away."
The birch logs snapped merrily, and Anna Belle sat in Jewel's lap watchingthe leaping flame, while Mrs. Evringham leaned back in her easy chair. Thereading had been interrupted yesterday by the arrival of the hour when Mrs.Evringham had engaged to take a drive with her father-in-law. Jewelaccompanied them, riding Star, and it was great entertainment to her motherto watch the child's good management of the pretty pony who showed by manyshakes of the head and other antics that it had not been explained to hissatisfaction why Essex Maid was left out of this good time.
Jewel turned to her mother. "We're all ready now, aren't we? Do go on withthe story. I told grandpa about it, driving to the station this morning,and what do you suppose he asked me?" The child drew in her chin. "He askedme if I thought Flossie was going to get well!"
Mrs. Evringham smiled. "Well, we'll see," she replied, opening thestory-book. "Where were we?"
"Miss Fletcher had just gone into the house and Flossie had just said shewas sinful. She wasn't to blame a bit!"
"Oh, yes, here it is," said Mrs. Evringham, and she began to read:--
* * * * *
As Hazel met Flossie's look, her heart swelled and she wished her motherwere here to take care of this little girl who had fallen into such a sadmistake.
"I wish I knew how to tell you better, Flossie, about God being Love," shesaid; "but He is, and He didn't send you your trouble."
"Perhaps He didn't send it," returned Flossie, "but He thinks it's good forme to have it or else He'd let the doctors cure me. I've had the kindestdoctors you ever heard of, and they know everything about people's backs."
"But God will cure you, Himself," said Hazel earnestly.
A strange smile flitted over the sick child's lips. "Oh, no, He won't. Iasked Him every night for a year, and over and over all day; but I neverask Him now."
"Oh, Flossie, I know what's the truth, but I don't know how to tell aboutit very well; but everything about you that seems not to be the image andlikeness of God is a lie; and He doesn't see lies, and so He doesn't knowthese mistakes you're thinking; but He _does_ know the strong, well girlyou really are, and He'll help _you_ to know it, too, when you begin tothink right."
The sincerity and earnestness in her visitor's tone brought a gleam ofinterest into Flossie's eyes.
"Just think of being well and running around here with me, and think thatGod wants you to!"
"Oh, do you believe He does?" returned Flossie doubtfully. "Mother says itwill do my soul good for me to be sick, if I can't get well."
Hazel shook her head violently. "You know when Jesus was on earth? Well, henever told anybody it was better for them to be sick. He healed everybody,_everybody_ that asked him, and he came to do the will of his Father; soGod's will doesn't change, and it's just the same now."
There was a faint color in Flossie's cheeks. "If I was sure God wanted meto get well, why then I'd know I would some time."
"Of course He does; but you didn't know how to ask Him right."
"Do _you_?" asked Flossie.
Hazel nodded. "Yes; not so well as mother, but I do know a little, and ifyou want me to, I'll ask Him for you."
"Well, of course I do," returned Flossie, regarding her visitor with grave,wondering eyes.
In a minute Miss Fletcher, watching the children through a window, beheldsomething that puzzled her. She saw Hazel roll Flossie's chair back underthe elm-tree, and saw her sit down on the grass beside it and cover hereyes with both hands.
"What game are they playin
g?" she asked herself; and she smiled, wellpleased by the friendship that had begun. "I wish health was catching," shesighed. "Little Hazel's a picture. I wonder how long it'll be before shefinds out who I am. I wonder what Richard's idea is in not telling her."
She moved about the house a few minutes, and then returned, curiously, tothe window. To her surprise matters were exactly as she saw them last.Flossie was, holding both dolls in the wheeled chair, and Hazel was sittingunder the tree, her hands over her eyes.
A wave of amazement and amusement swept over Miss Fletcher, and she struckher hands together noiselessly. "I _do_ believe in my heart," sheexclaimed, "that Hazel Wright is giving Flossie one of those absenttreatments they tell about! Well, if I ever in all my born days!"
There was no more work for Miss Fletcher after this, but a restless movingabout the room until she saw Hazel bound up from the ground. Then shehurried out of the house and walked over to the tree. Hazel skipped to meether, her face all alight. "Oh, Miss Fletcher, Flossie wants to be healed byChristian Science. If my mother was only here she could turn to all theplaces in the Bible where it tells about God being Love and healingsickness."
Miss Fletcher noted the new expression in the invalid's usually listlessface, and the new light in her eyes.
"I'll take my Bible," she answered, "and a concordance. I'll bring themright now. You children go on playing and I'll find all the references Ican, and Flossie and I will read them after you've gone."
Miss Fletcher brought her books out under the tree, and with pencil andpaper made her notes while the children played with their dolls.
"Let's have them both your children, Flossie," said Hazel.
"Oh, yes," replied Flossie, "and they'll both be sick, and you be thedoctor and come and feel their pulses. Aunt Hazel has my doll's littlemedicine bottles in the house. She'll tell you where they are."
Hazel paused. "Let's not play that," she returned, "because--it isn't funto be sick and--you're going to be all done with sickness."
"All right," returned Flossie; but it had been her principal play with herdoll, Bernice, who had recovered from such a catalogue of ills that itreflected great credit on her medical man.
"I'll be the maid," said Hazel, "and you give me the directions and I'lltake the children to drive and to dancing-school and everywhere you tellme."
"And when they're naughty," returned Flossie, "you bring them to me tospank, because I can't let my servants punish my children."
Hazel paused again. "Let's play you're a Christian Scientist," she said,"and you have a Christian Science maid, then there won't be any spanking;because if error creeps in, you'll know how to handle it in mind."
"Oh!" returned Flossie blankly.
But Hazel was fertile in ideas, and the play proceeded with spirit, owingto the lightning speed with which the maid changed to a coachman, andthence to a market-man or a gardener, according to the demands of thesituation.
Miss Fletcher, her spectacles well down on her nose, industriously searchedout her references and made record of them, her eyes roving often to thewhite face that was fuller of interest than she had ever seen it.
When four o'clock came, she went back to the house and returned withFlossie's lap table, which she leaned against the tree trunk. Thisafternoon lunch for the invalid was always accomplished with much coaxingon Miss Fletcher's part, and great reluctance on Flossie's. The little girltook no notice now of what was coming. She was too much engrossed inHazel's efforts to induce Miss Fletcher's maltese cat to allow Bernice totake a ride on his back.
But when the hostess returned from the house the second time, Hazel gavean exclamation. Miss Fletcher was carrying a tray, and upon it was laid outa large doll's tea-set. It was of white china with gold bands, and whenFlossie saw Hazel's admiration, she exclaimed too.
"This was my tea-set when I was a little girl," said Miss Fletcher, "and Iwas always very choice of it. Twenty years ago I had a niece your age,Hazel, who used to think it was the best fun in the world to come to auntHazel's and have lunch off her doll's tea-set. I used to tell her I wasgoing to give it to _her_ little girl if she ever had one."
Both children exclaimed admiringly over the quaint shape of the bowl andpitchers, as Miss Fletcher deposited the tray on her sewing-table.
"When I was a child we didn't smash up handsome toys the way children donowadays. They weren't so easy to get."
"And didn't your niece ever have a little girl?" asked Flossie, beginningto think that in such a case perhaps these dear dishes might come to be herown.
"Yes, she did," replied Miss Fletcher kindly, and as she looked at theguest's interested little face her eyes were thoughtful. "I shall give themto her some day."
"Has she ever seen them?" asked Hazel.
"Once. I thought you children must be hungry after your games, and you'dlike a little lunch."
This idea was so pleasing to Hazel that Flossie caught her enthusiasm.
"You'll be the mistress and pour, Flossie, and I'll be the waitress," shesaid. "Won't it be the most _fun_! I suppose, ma'am, you'll like to havethe children come to the table?" she added, with sudden respectfulness oftone.
"Yes," returned Flossie, with elegant languor. "I think it teaches themgood manners."
And then the waitress forgot herself so far as to hop up and down; for MissFletcher, who had returned to the house, now reappeared bearing a tray ofeatables and drinkables.
What a good time the children had, with the sewing-table for a sideboard,and the lap-table fixed firmly across Flossie's chair.
"Are you sure you aren't getting too tired, dear?" asked Miss Fletcher ofher invalid, doubtfully. "Wouldn't you rather the waitress poured?"
But Flossie declared she was feeling well, and Hazel looked up eagerly intoMiss Fletcher's eyes and said, "You know she can't get too tired unlesswe're doing wrong."
"Oh, indeed!" returned the hostess dryly. "Then there's nothing to fear,for she's doing the rightest kind of right."
When the table was set forth, two small plates heaped high withbread-and-butter sandwiches, a coffee-pot and milk-pitcher of beaten eggand milk, a tea-pot of grape juice, one dish of nuts and another of jelly,the waitress's eyes spoke so eloquently that Flossie mercifully dismissedher on the spot, and invited a lady of her acquaintance to the feast, whoimmediately drew up a chair with eager alacrity.
Miss Fletcher seated herself again and looked on with the utmostsatisfaction, while the children laughed and ate, and when the sandwichplates and coffee-pot and tea-pot and milk-pitcher were all emptied, shereplenished them from the well-furnished sideboard.
"My, I wish I was aunt Hazel's real little niece!" exclaimed Flossie,enchanted with pouring from the delightful china.
"So do I wish I was," said Hazel, looking around at her hostess with asmile that was returned.
When Hazel sat down to supper at home that evening, she had plenty to tellof the delightful afternoon, which made Mr. Badger and Hannah open theireyes to the widest, although she did not suspect how she was astonishingthem.
"I tell you," she added, in describing the luncheon, "we were careful notto break that little girl's dishes. Oh, I wish you could see them. They'rethe most be-_au_tiful you ever saw. They're so big--big enough for achild's real ones that she could use herself."
"I judge you did use them," said uncle Dick.
"Well, I guess we did! Miss Fletcher--she wants me to call her aunt Hazel,uncle Dick!" The child looked up to observe the effect of this.
He nodded. "Do it, then. Perhaps she'll forget and give you the dishes."
Hazel laughed. "Well, anyway, she said Flossie'd eaten as much as sheusually did in two whole days. Isn't it beautiful that she's going to getwell?"
"I wouldn't talk to her too much about it," returned Mr. Badger. "It wouldbe cruel to disappoint her."
This sort of response was new to Hazel. She gazed at her uncle a minute."That's error," she said at last. "God doesn't disappoint people. They'llget some grown-up Scientist, but unt
il they do, I'll declare the truth forFlossie every day. She'll get well. You'll see.
"I hope so," returned Mr. Badger quietly.
Old Hannah gave her employer a wink over the child's head. "You might askthem to come here by your garden and have lunch some day, Hazel. I'll fixthings up real nice for you, even if we haven't got any baby dishes."
"I'd love to," returned Hazel, "and I expect they'd love to come. To-morrowI'm going to take the lesson over and read it with them, and I'm going toread them the 'Quest Flower,' too. It's a story that aunt Hazel will justlove. I think she has one in her yard."
"Well, Mr. Richard," said Hannah, after their little visitor had gone tobed, "I see the end of one family feud."
Mr. Badger smiled. "When Miss Fletcher consents to take lunch in my yard, Ishall see it, too," he replied.
The next day was pleasant, also, and when Hazel appeared outside her aunt'sfence, Flossie was sitting under the tree and waved a hand to her. Thewhite face looked pleased and almost eager, and Miss Fletcher called:--
"Come along, Hazel. I guess Flossie got just tired enough yesterday. Sheslept last night the best she has since she came."
"Yes," added the little invalid, smiling as her new friend drew near, "thenight seemed about five minutes long."
"That's the way it does to me," returned Hazel. She had her doll and somebooks in her arms, and Miss Fletcher took the latter from her.
"H'm, h'm," she murmured, as she looked over the titles. "You havesomething about Christian Science here."
"Yes, I thought I'd read to-day's lesson to Flossie before I treated her,and you'd let us take your Bible."
"I certainly will. I can tell you, Hazel, Flossie and I were surprised atthe number of good verses and promises I read to her last evening. Anybodyought to sleep well after them."
Hazel looked glad, and Miss Fletcher let her run into the house to bringthe Bible, for it was on the hall table in plain sight.
While she was gone the hostess smoothed Flossie's hair. "I can tell you, mydear child, that reading all those verses to you last night made me feelthat we don't any of us live up to our lights very well. 'Tisn't always aquestion of sick bodies, Flossie."
Hazel came bounding back to the elm-tree, and sitting down near the wheeledchair, opened the Bible and two of the books she had brought, and proceededto read the lesson. Had she been a few years older, she would not haveattempted this without a word of explanation to two people to whom many ofthe terms of her religion were strange, but no doubts assailed her. Thelittle white girl in the wheeled chair was going to get out of it and runaround and be happy--that was all Hazel knew, and she proceeded in the onlyway she knew of to bring it about.
Miss Fletcher's thin lips parted as she listened to the sentences that thechild read. She understood scarcely more than Flossie of what they werehearing, excepting the Bible verses, and these did not seem to bear on thecase. It was Hazel's perfectly unhesitating certainty of manner and voicewhich most impressed her, and when the child had finished she continued tostare at her unconsciously.
"Now," said Hazel, returning her look, "I guess I'd better treat her beforewe begin to play."
Her hostess started. "Oh!" she ejaculated, "then I suppose you'd rather bealone."
"Yes, it's easier," returned the little girl.
Miss Fletcher, feeling rather embarrassed, gathered up her sewing and movedoff to the house.
"If I ever in all my born days!" she thought again. "What would Flossie'smother say! Well, that dear little girl's prayers can't do any harm, and ifshe isn't a smart young one I never saw one. She's Fletcher clear through.I'd like to know what Richard Badger thinks of her. If she'd give _him_ afew absent treatments it might do him some good."
Miss Fletcher's lips took their old grim line as she added this reflection,but she was not altogether comfortable. Her nephew's action in withholdingfrom Hazel the fact that it was her aunt whom she was visiting daily couldscarcely have other than a kindly motive; and that long list of Biblereferences which she had read to Flossie last evening had stirred herstrangely. There was one, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God islove," which had followed her to bed and occupied her thoughts for sometime.
Now she went actively to work preparing the luncheon which she intendedserving to the children later.
"And I'd better fix enough for two laboring men," she thought, smiling.
Later, when she went back under the tree, her little guest skipped up toher. "Oh, aunt Hazel," she said, and the address softened the hostess'seyes, "won't you and Flossie come to-morrow afternoon if it's pleasant, andhave lunch beside my garden?"
Miss Fletcher's face changed. This was a contingency that had not occurredto her.
"Oh, do say yes," persisted the child. "I want you to see my flowers, andFlossie says she'd love to. I'll come up and wheel her down there."
"Flossie can go some day, yes," replied aunt Hazel reluctantly; "but Idon't visit much. I'm set in my ways."
"Hannah, uncle Dick's housekeeper, suggested it herself," pursued Hazel,thinking that perhaps her own invitation was not sufficient, "and I knowuncle Dick would be glad. You said," with sudden remembrance, "that youused to know him."
Miss Fletcher's lips were their grimmest. "I've spanked him many a time,"she replied deliberately.
"Spanked him!" repeated the child, staring in still amazement.
The grim lips crept into a grimmer smile. "Not very hard; not hard_enough_, I've thought a good many times since."
Hazel recovered her breath. "You knew him when he was little?"
"I certainly did. No, child, don't ask me to go out of my tracks. You comehere all you will, and if you'll be very careful you can wheel Flossie upto your garden some day. Come, now, are you going to read us that story? Isee you brought it."
"Yes, I brought it," replied Hazel, in a rather subdued voice. She saw thatthere was some trouble between this kind, new friend and her dear uncleDick, and the discovery astonished her. How could grown-up people notforgive one another?
Miss Fletcher seated herself again with her sewing, and Hazel took thelittle white book and sat down close by the wheeled chair where Flossie washolding both the dolls.
"Do you like stories?" she asked.
"Yes, when they're not interesting," returned Flossie; "but when motherbrings a book and says it's very interesting, I know I shan't like it."
Hazel laughed. "Well, hear this," she said, and began to read:--
* * * * *
Once there was a very rich man whose garden was his chief pride and joy. Inall the country around, people knew about this wonderful garden, and manycame from miles away to look at the rare trees and shrubs, and thebeautiful vistas through which one could gain glimpses of blue water whereidle swans floated and added their snowy beauty to the scene. But loveliestof all were the rare flowers, blossoming profusely and rejoicing everybeholder.
It was the ambition of the man's life to have the most beautiful garden inthe world; and so many strangers as well as friends told him that it wasso that he came to believe it and to be certain that no beauty could beadded to his enchanting grounds.
One evening, as he was strolling about the avenues, he strayed near thewall and suddenly became aware of a fragrance so sweet and strange that hestarted and looked about him to find its source. Becoming more and moreinterested each moment, as he could find only such blossoms as werefamiliar to him, he at last perceived that the wonderful perfume floated infrom the public way which ran just without the wall.
Instantly calling a servant he dispatched him to discover what might be theexplanation of this delightful mystery.
The servant sped and found a youth bearing a jar containing a plant crownedwith a wondrous pure white flower which sent forth this sweetness.
The servant endeavored to bring the bearer to his master, but the youthsteadily refused; saying that, the plant being now in perfection, he wascarrying it to the King, for in his possession it would ne
ver fade.
The servant returning with this news, the owner of the garden hastened,himself, and overtook the young man. When his eyes beheld the wondrousplant, he demanded it at any price.
"I cannot part with it to you," returned the youth, "but do you not knowthat at the Public Garden a bulb of this flower is free to all?"
"I never heard of it," replied the man, with excitement, "but to grow itmust be difficult. Promise me to return and tend it for me until I possessa plant as beautiful as yours."
"That would be useless," returned the youth, "for every man must tend hisown; and as for me, the King will send me on a quest when He has receivedthis flower, and I shall not return this way."
His face was radiant as he proceeded on his road, and the rich man, filledwith an exceeding longing, hastened to the Public Garden and made known hisdesire. He was given a bulb, and was told that the King provided it, butthat when the plant was in flower it must be carried to Him.
The man agreed, and returning to his house, rejoicing, caused the bulb tobe planted in a beautiful spot set apart for its reception.
But, strangely, as time went on, his gardeners could not make this plantgrow. The man sent out for experts, men with the greatest wisdom concerningthe ways of flowers, but still the bulb rested passive. The man offeredrewards, but in vain. His garden was still famous and praised for itsbeauty far and near; but it pleased him no longer. His heart ached withlonging for the one perfect flower.
One night he lay awake, mourning and restless, until he could bear it nomore. He rose, the only waking figure in the sleeping castle, and went outupon a balcony. A flood of moonlight was turning his garden to silver, andsuddenly a nightingale's sobbing song pulsed upon the air and filled hisheart to bursting.
Wrapping his mantle about him, he descended a winding stair and walked towhere, in the centre of the garden, reposed his buried hope. No one was byto witness the breaking down of his pride. He knelt, and swift tears fellupon the earth and moistened it.
What wonder was this? He brushed away the blinding drops, the better tosee, for a little green shoot appeared from the brown earth, and, with aleap of the heart, he perceived that his flower had begun to grow.
Every succeeding night, while all in the castle were sleeping, he descendedto the garden and tended the plant.
Steadily it grew, and finally the bud appeared, and one fair day it burstinto blossom and filled the whole garden with its perfume.
The thought of parting with this treasure tugged at the man's veryheartstrings. "The King has many, how many, who can tell! Must I give upmine to Him? Not yet. Not quite yet!"
So he put off carrying away the perfect flower from one day to the next,till at last it fell and was no more worthy.
Ah, then what sadness possessed the man's soul! He vowed that he wouldnever rest until he had brought another plant to perfection and given it tothe King; for he realized, at last, that only by giving it, could itsloveliness become perennial. Yet he mourned his perfect flower, for itseemed to him no other would ever possess such beauty.
So he set forth again to the Public Garden, but there a great shock awaitedhim. He found that no second bulb could be vouchsafed to any one. Verysadly he retraced his steps and carefully covered the precious bulb, hopingthat when the season of storm and frost was past, there might come to itrenewed life.
As soon as the spring began to spread green loveliness again across thelandscape, the man turned, with a full heart, to the care and nurture ofhis hope. The winter of waiting had taught him many a lesson.
He tended the plant now with his own hands, in the light of day and in thesight of all men. Long he cherished it, and steadily it grew, and the man'sthought grew with it. Finally the bud appeared, increasing and beautifyingdaily, until, one morning, a divine fragrance spread beyond the farthestlimits of that garden, for the flower had bloomed, spotless, fit for a holygift; and the man looked upon it humbly and not as his own; but rejoiced inthe day of its perfection that he might leave all else behind him, and,carrying it to the King, lay it at His feet and receive His bidding; and sogo forth upon his joyous quest.
* * * * *
Hazel closed the book. Flossie was watching her attentively. Miss Fletcherhad laid down her sewing and was wiping her spectacles.
"Did you like it?" asked Hazel.
"Yes," replied Flossie. "I wish I knew what that flower was."
"Mother says the blossom is consecration," replied Hazel. "I forget whatshe said the bulb was. What do you think it was, aunt Hazel?"
"Humility, perhaps," replied Miss Fletcher.
"Yes, that's just what she said! I remember now. Oh, let's go and look atyours and see how the bud is to-day." Hazel sprang up from the grass andcarefully pushed Flossie's chair to the flower-bed.
"Oh, aunt Hazel, it's nearly out," she cried, and Miss Fletcher, who hadremained behind still polishing her spectacles with hands that were notvery steady, felt a little frightened leap of the heart. She wished theQuest Flower would be slower.
The afternoon was as happy a one to the children as that of the day before.They greatly enjoyed the dainty lunch from the little tea-set. They hadcocoa to-day instead of the beaten egg and milk; then, just before Hazelwent home, Miss Fletcher let her water the garden with a fascinatingsprinkler that whirled and was always just about to deluge either the onewho managed it or her companions.
In the child's little hands it was a dangerous weapon, but Miss Fletchervery kindly and patiently helped her to use it, for she saw the pleasureshe was bestowing.
That night Hazel had a still more joyous tale to tell of her happy day; anduncle Dick went out doors with her after supper and watched her water herown garden bed and listened to her chatter with much satisfaction.
"So Miss Fletcher doesn't care to come and lunch in my yard," he remarked.
"No," returned Hazel, pausing and regarding him. "She says she used to knowyou well enough to spank you, too."
Mr. Badger laughed. "She certainly did."
"Then error must have crept in," said the little girl, "that she doesn'tknow you now."
"I used to think it had, when she got after me."
The child observed his laughing face wistfully, "She didn't know how tohandle it in mind, did she?"
"Not much. A slipper was good enough for her."
"Well, I don't see what's the matter," said Hazel.
"'Tisn't necessary, little one. You go on having a good time. Everythingwill come out all right some day."
As Mr. Badger spoke he little knew what activity was taking place in hisaunt's thought. Her heart had been touched by the surprising arrival andsympathy of her namesake, and her conscience had been awakened by the arrayof golden words from the Bible which she had not studied much during latebitter years. The story of the Quest Flower, falling upon her softenedheart, seemed to hold for her a special meaning.
In the late twilight that evening she stood alone in her garden, and theopening chalice of the perfect lily shone up at her through the dusk. "Onlya couple of days, at most," she murmured, "not more than a couple ofdays--and humility was the root!"
When it rained the following morning, Flossie looked out the window ratherdisconsolately; but after dinner her face brightened, for she saw Hazelcoming up the street under an umbrella. Tightly held in one arm were Ellaand a bundle of books and doll's clothes. Miss Fletcher welcomed the guestgladly, and, after disposing of her umbrella, left the children togetherand took her sewing upstairs where she sat at work by a window, frowningand smiling by turns at her own thoughts.
Occasionally she looked down furtively at her garden, where in plain viewthe quest flower drank in the warm rain and opened--opened!
By this time Flossie and Hazel were great friends, and the expression ofthe former's face had changed even in three days, until one would forgetto call her an afflicted child.
They had the lesson and the treatment this afternoon, and then their plays,and when lunch time came the app
etites of the pair did not seem to havebeen injured by their confinement to the house.
When the time came for Hazel to go it had ceased raining, and Miss Fletcherwent with her to the gate.
"Oh, oh, aunt Hazel--see the quest flower!" exclaimed the child.
True, a lily, larger, fairer than all the rest, reared itself in statelypurity in the centre of the bed.
Miss Fletcher turned and looked at it with startled eyes and pressed herhand to her heart. "Why can't the thing give a body time to make up hermind!" she murmured.
"Oh, to-morrow, _to-morrow_, aunt Hazel, the sun will come out, and I knowjust how that lily will look. It will be fit to take to the King!"
Miss Fletcher passed her arm around the child's shoulders. "I want you tostay to supper with us to-morrow night, dear. Ask your uncle if you may."
"Thank you, I'd love to," returned the child, and was skipping off.
"Wait a minute." Miss Fletcher stooped and with her scissors cut a mossrose so full of sweetness that as she handed it to her guest, Hazel huggedher.
The following day was fresh and bright. Flossie's best pink gown and hairribbons made her look like a rose, herself, to Hazel, as the little girl,very fine in a white frock and ribbons, came skipping up the street. MissFletcher stood watching them as her niece ran toward the wheeled chair.The lustre in Flossie's eyes made her heart glad; but the visitor stoppedshort in the midst of the garden and clasped her hands.
"Oh, aunt Hazel!" she cried, "the quest flower!"
Miss Fletcher nodded and slowly drew near. The stately lily looked like aqueen among her subjects.
"Yes, it is to-day," she said softly, "to-day."
She could not settle to her sewing, but, leaving the children together fortheir work and play, walked up and down the garden paths. Later she wentinto the house and upstairs and put on her best black silk dress. Anunusual color came into her cheeks while she dressed. "The bulb washumility," she murmured over and over, under her breath.
The afternoon was drawing to a close when Miss Fletcher at last moved outof doors and to the elm-tree. "I didn't bring you any lunch to-day," shesaid to the children, "because I want you to be hungry for a good supper."
"Can we have the dishes just the same?" asked Flossie.
"The owner is going to have them to-night," replied Miss Fletcher, and boththe little girls regarded her flushed face with eager curiosity.
"Why, have you asked her?" they cried together.
"Yes."
"Does she know she's going to have the tea-set?"
"No."
"Oh, what fun!" exclaimed Flossie. "I didn't know she was in town."
"Yes, she is in town." Miss Fletcher turned to Hazel and put her hand onthe child's shoulder. "We must do everything we can to celebrate takingthe flower to the King."
Only then the children noticed that aunt Hazel had her bonnet on.
"Oh," cried the child, bewildered, "are you going to _do_ it?"
Miss Fletcher met her radiant eyes thoughtfully. "If I should take theflower of consecration to the King, Hazel, I know what would be the firsterrand He would give me to do. I am going to do it now. Go on playing. Ishan't be gone long."
She moved away down the garden path and out of the gate.
"What do you suppose it is?" asked Flossie.
"I don't know," returned Hazel simply. "Something right;" and then theytook up their dolls again.
Miss Fletcher did not return very soon. In fact, nearly an hour had slippedaway before she came up the street, and then a man was with her. As theyentered the gate Hazel looked up.
"Uncle Dick, uncle Dick!" she cried gladly, jumping up and running to meethim. He and Miss Fletcher both looked very happy, as they all moved over toFlossie's chair. Mr. Badger's kind eyes looked down into hers and hecarried her into the house in his strong arms. Hazel followed, rolling thechair and having many happy thoughts; but she did not understand even alittle of the situation until they all went into the dining-room andFlossie was carefully seated in the place the hostess indicated.
The white and gold tea-set was not in front of Flossie this time, butgrouped about another place. Hazel's quick eyes noted that there were fourseats, but before she had time to speak of the expected child--happy ownerof the tea-set--uncle Dick spoke:--
"Where do I go, aunt Hazel?"
The child's eyes widened at such familiarity. "Why, uncle Dick!" sheejaculated.
He and the hostess both regarded her, smiling.
"She is my aunt," he said; and then he lifted Hazel into the chair beforethe pretty china. "I believe these are your dishes," he added.
The child leaned back in her chair and looked from one to another. Slowly,slowly, she understood. That was the aunt Hazel who gave her the silverspoon. It had been aunt Hazel all the time! She suddenly jumped down fromher chair, and, running to Miss Fletcher, hugged her without a word.
Aunt Hazel embraced her very tenderly. "Yes, my lamb," she whispered,"error crept in, but it has crept out again, I hope forever;" and throughthe wide-open windows came the perfume of the quest flower: pure, strong,beautiful,--radiantly white in the evening glow.
* * * * *
Before Hazel went back to Boston, Flossie's mother came to Miss Fletcher's,and the change for the better in her little daughter filled her with wonderand joy. With new hope she followed the line of treatment suggested by alittle girl, and by the time another summer came around, two happy childrenplayed again in aunt Hazel's garden, both as free as the sweet air andsunshine, for Divine Love had made Flossie "every whit whole."
Jewel's Story Book Page 9